"So from our family's heart, we are grateful to your two children."
"We really need their help. A lot of people chased after the bandits that night, but in the end, only the two kids caught up with them."
"And they brought back the food that the bandits had thrown on the road. Otherwise, no one would have chased them, and my family's food, carriages, and mule carts would have all been taken away by the bandits."
Zhang was still a little embarrassed after hearing what Li Xiucai said, "Aunt, we are fleeing from famine and are short of food. You brought so many things to my family. I really can't accept them."
Li Xiucai's mother saw that Zhang's attitude was quite firm, and she also understood that Zhang and Yun the butcher really did not want to accept this thank-you gift.
"You have to take it. We are not ungrateful people. No, you have to take it away, otherwise we will be worried and unable to sleep."
Zhang looked at Yun the Butcher in embarrassment.
Butcher Yun shook his head.
"Otherwise, my family wouldn't just be sending a thank-you gift to your family. The villagers heard the noise that night and came to help."
"So, I thought of sending some thank-you gifts to every household in the village. I heard from the village chief's family yesterday that your children picked a lot of persimmons in the mountains."
"So, how about you accept these thank you gifts and give me some persimmons?"
Butcher Yun thought about it and decided it was okay. The main problem was that Li Xiucai's mother was coming over, which made things a bit difficult.
This aunt is a very upright person. If she said she would give a thank you gift, then she would definitely give it. The younger generation cannot resist the wishes of the elders.
So, Yun the Butcher nodded to Zhang.
Zhang knew what was going on. "Okay, Auntie, then we'll shamelessly accept all of these. I've heard that your daughter-in-law's steamed brown sugar buns are especially delicious."
"This time, our family is in for a treat. And this meat sauce smells really good. Your cooking skills are amazing."
When Li Xiucai's mother heard what Zhang said, she hurriedly handed the basket to Zhang, who also took it.
"You're right. My daughter-in-law's skill in making noodles is definitely one of the best in our village. All your family members should try it."
"It's delicious. Next time my daughter-in-law makes steamed brown sugar buns, I'll bring them to you."
Zhang smiled broadly, "Okay, Auntie. Then we'll look forward to eating brown sugar buns next time."
Li Xiucai's mother laughed heartily and said, "We must look forward to it. We have many good days ahead of us."
"Aunt, please sit here for a while. I'll go get you some persimmons."
"Okay, go ahead."
Zhang carried the basket and boarded the mule cart. She first took out all the brown sugar buns from the basket.
The brown sugar buns made by Li Xiucai's wife are truly amazing. They are quite large, and you can smell their sweet aroma from far away.
You don’t even need to taste it to know that this brown sugar steamed bun is absolutely delicious.
Zhang counted them and found that Li Xiucai had brought over twelve large brown sugar buns. This was really not a small number.
After she put the steamed buns away, she took out half a pound of brown sugar and half a pound of white sugar from the basket.
As soon as she weighed them in her hand, she knew that the two bags of candy had never been opened and were definitely enough.
Finally, there was the meat sauce. The color of the sauce was beautiful, the cooking time was perfect, and there were plenty of meat pieces in it.
Zhang poured it into her own bowl. Then, she put Li Xiucai's bowl aside, intending to let Li Xiucai decide whether to wash the bowl or not.
In this way, the basket is empty.
Zhang dragged over her own persimmon basket and put forty persimmons into the empty basket.
Then she put thirty peaches into Li Xiucai's basket.
After thinking for a while, she put in six more peaches.
She was worried that Li Xiucai's family would give away all the persimmons and peaches, and their own children would have nothing to eat, so she put six more peaches in the garden.
Zhang looked at the basket, then at the brown sugar buns, sugar, and meat sauce next to it, and suddenly felt that her return gift was not enough.
She looked around the carriage, then took out about two pounds of hawthorns from the basket and put them into Li Xiucai's basket.
Finally, she put two pieces of yam into Li Xiucai's basket.
Yams are quite large, and just these two pieces are enough for Li Xiucai's family to eat for several meals.
Besides, the weather is cold now, so the yams can be stored. Li Xiucai's family can also keep them for a while before eating them.
Although what Zhang took were things she found in the mountains, they looked insignificant, but they were also very rare.
Especially since the villagers don’t go to the mountains, they have almost no chance of finding persimmons, peaches, and hawthorns.
Not to mention, such a big wild yam. You can't dig it up unless you go deep into the mountains.
Especially now when people are fleeing famine, it would cost a lot of money to sell these things.
Only the Yun family can find these things, because Yun Yiyi is a martial arts expert and brave, and she takes the Yun brothers into the mountains every day.
Villagers basically can't find these things.
Zhang saw that the basket was full, so she stopped. After she jumped off the mule cart, she carried the basket on her arm and the bowl in her hand and walked to the table.
When Zhang put the basket on the table, Li Xiucai and his mother were both dumbfounded when they saw the full basket.
Zhang and Yun the Butcher were so generous. They returned a basket full of gifts.
They had originally intended to trade persimmons with Zhang, but unexpectedly, Zhang acted unpredictably and refused to accept any thank-you gift.
However, the thank-you gifts given by Zhang and Yun the Butcher were too much.
"Aunt, let me tell you something. I put forty persimmons and thirty-six peaches under the basket."
"There are also a few pounds of sweet and sour hawthorn fruits in the middle of the basket. They can be used to sweeten the mouths of the children at home."
"Also, take these two pieces of yam and try them. They are aged yams and taste really good."
"Besides, the weather is getting colder now. You can wait a while before eating it."
Li Xiucai's mother smiled and said, "Look at our two families. I packed a basket of thank you gifts for you, and you also packed a basket of return gifts for us.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m so embarrassed.”
"Yes, Brother Yun, sister-in-law, you two are too polite. I feel embarrassed when you act like this."
Butcher Yun laughed heartily. "Aunt, it's my duty. These things my wife packed for you were all found by the children in the mountains. They're not worth much, so you don't have to worry about it."
"Look at the thank you gift you brought. We listened to you and accepted it without hesitation."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
